By Erin ZimmermanCBN NewsJERUSALEM, Israel -- When Eilat Mazar realized she'd discover an ancient structure near Jerusalem, she turned to the Bible to help explain what she'd found. She learned that this new discovery supports the biblical accounts of King David and his son Solomon.

Second Samuel 5:11 says the Phoenician king Kiram "sent messengers to David and cedar trees, and carpenters and masons, and they built David a house."

"So it's a palace/fortress well built for good reasons, which is probably the palace that Hiram built for king David," Mazar speculated.

"We know its date, which is around 1000. That is around the time of King David. The Phoenician style of construction is quite emphasized. The Phoenicians are great builders as we learn from our excavations in Phoenician sites," she said.

Inside, the team found more evidence of royalty, from ancient seals used by court officials, to a variety of carved ivory utensils -- too expensive for a regular home, but perfect for a palace.